Double Chocolate Layered Vanilla Sponge

 I created this cake using various different recipes that I know and different frostings that I researched and it seemed to work very well.
It is a 3 layered vanilla sponge with a whipped white chocolate ganache frosting and a whipped dark chocolate ganache frosting.
This helps to make the cake not too rich and not too sweet as the different chocolates complement each other well.

Cake Ingredients

300g butter
300g caster sugar
300g self raising flour
6 eggs
1.5 tsp baking powder

Method

Cream the softened butter with the caster sugar until it is soft and pale in colour.
Then add the flour, whisked eggs and baking powder. Mix until just combined.
Split the mixture evenly between 3 20cm cake tins which have been lined and greased.
Bake at about 170 degrees C for approximately 20-25 mins until they are cooked.
Leave in the tin to cool slightly and then take out and cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting Ingredients

350g white chocolate
85g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
475ml double cream (You may need a little more to ensure you have enough after bringing it to boiling point)

Method

Pour the cream into a saucepan and warm until it is almost at boiling point. Keep stirring it to make sure a skin doesn't form on top.
Break the chocolate into 2 bowls (One bowl with white and one bowl with dark)
Pour 125ml of the cream onto the dark chocolate
Pour 350ml of cream onto the white chocolate
Slowly mix the cream with each of the chocolates until you have 2 smooth mixtures.
Leave to cool to room temperature and then whisk each one in turn with an electric whisk until it is soft and fluffy.
You may need to put them in the fridge to firm up a bit more to make them easier to use on the cake.

Once the cakes are completely cool and the frosting is at the right consistency to frost onto your cake you can assemble in any way you want.
There is enough dark chocolate frosting to put in one layer of the cake, and enough white chocolate frosting to use in one layer of the cake and also to frost the outside of the cake.
I put a little raspberry jam in between the cake and my dark chocolate frosting as it was very rich and I wanted to sweeten it slightly.

Honeycomb Toffee

 This is such a simple and really delicious sweet that is great for nibbling with friends and guests.
It is a more traditional version of honeycomb than cinder toffee and it is much richer.
If you find it too rich then just use a bit more golden syrup and a little less black treacle until you find the flavour that you love.

Ingredients

125g unsalted butter
30ml cider vinegar
100ml black treacle
200ml golden syrup
400g demerara sugar
2.5ml bicarbonate of soda



Method

Grease a 20cm square cake tin (although I used a 25cmx35cm swiss roll tin)
Line it with a sheet of baking parchment so that each end of the paper comes up the side of the tin.
Melt the butter gently in a large heavy saucepan (the larger the better as the mix will grow in size as it bubbles).
Add the vinegar, treacle, golden syrup and sugar. Stir gently until the sugar has dissolved.
Turn up the heat to medium and then without stirring, heat the syrup to the HARD CRACK stage on a thermometer (154 deg C)
Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the bicarbonate of soda.
As the mixture begins to froth stir it again (be careful as it will be bubbling a lot)
Pour the mixture into the tin and leave to cool.
When it begins to set (anywhere from 10mins to 30mins depending on the depth of the mixture) score it with a knife into bitesize pieces.
Leave it to cool completely before lifting the block out of the tin (using the baking paper) and break or cut into squares.
Store in an airtight container and enjoy.

Don't panic if the mix sets before you have scored it as you can always smash it with a rolling pin. If your sweets are quite thin then you may be able to break it up by hand without scoring it if it has set.

Chocolate and Caramel Layer Cake - My Birthday Cake

 An extravagant cake for special occasions. It is actually quite simple to make, but takes a bit of time as you need to bake 4 sponges and then assemble it and frost it.

Ingredients

Chocolate and Vanilla Sponges

225g very soft butter , plus extra for greasing
225g golden caster sugar
175g self-raising flour
85g ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
150ml pot natural yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tbsp cocoa powder

Caramel and Chocolate Caramel Sponges

225g very soft butter , plus extra for greasing
175g light muscovado sugar
50g dark muscovado sugar
175g self-raising flour
85g ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
150ml pot natural yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cocoa

For Assembly

397g can caramel (Or you can buy condensed milk and pierce a hole in the tin, then simmer it in water for 2.5-3 hours)
140g dark chocolate
140g milk chocolate
300ml double cream

Method

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line bases of 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment.
 For the Vanilla & chocolate sponges, mix all the ingredients, apart from the cocoa, together with an electric whisk.
Scrape half the mix into a second bowl and whizz in the cocoa.
Scrape into the tins and bake for 20-25 mins until a skewer poked in comes out clean.

Repeat step 1 for the Caramel & caramel-choc sponges, again leaving cocoa out of the first mixing, then splitting the mix in half and whizzing the cocoa into one batch. Cook as above.

While sponges are cooling, melt the dark and milk chocolate together in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Remove from the heat, stir in the cream and cool or chill until spreadable.

When the sponges are cool, spread a third of the caramel over the Vanilla sponge and top with the Caramel sponge. Spread over another third of the caramel and top with the Caramel-choc sponge, then the final third of caramel and top with the Chocolate sponge (don't panic if you mix up the layers, the cake will still look great when you cut in).
Spread the chocolate icing over the whole cake to serve. It will keep in a cool place in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

(Recipe courtesy of BBC Good Food)

Ginger Cupcakes with Toffee Frosting

 These are a special birthday treat and are a great expansion to gingerbread cake.
They are a simple ginger cupcake mix topped with a buttercream frosting mixed with a toffee sauce.

Ingredients

150g butter at room temp
150g soft brown sugar
3 eggs
150g self raising flour
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 tbsp milk

Frosting

200g butter at room temp
50g soft brown sigar
3 tbsp milk
200g icing sugar



Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. 
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Sift the flour together with the spices.
Gradually mix the eggs into the creamed butter and sugar alternating with the flour to stop the mix from curdling.
Finally, stir through the milk.
Divide the mix between 12 cases in a muffin tin.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Leave to cool slightly in the tin and then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.


Frosting

Put 50g of the butter in a pan with the brown sugar and cook over a low heat until melted. 
Add 2 tablespoons of the milk and stir to form a thick toffee sauce.
Leave to one side to cool to room temperature.
In a separate bowl beat the the rest of the butter until smooth, then add the icing sugar and beat well until it starts to become fluffy and soft.
Add the cooled toffee sauce and mix thoroughly.
Add a splash more of milk if the mixture seems too thick.
Pipe onto the cupcakes however you want to. 

I have added some edible gold leaf to these as a birthday treat but you could sprinkle some ground cinnamon over the top for decoration and extra flavour. 

(The recipe is courtesy of Good Food Channel)

Savoury Muffins

Ham and Mushroom Savoury Muffins are a great way to try savoury muffins as they are so easy to make and really delicious.

Ingredients

50g butter

1/2 small onion/shallot finely chopped

80g button mushrooms

360g plain flour

2.5 tsp baking powder

250g grated cheddar cheese

220ml whole milk

1 egg

80g smoked ham

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste


Method

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius.
Melt the butter in a frying pan.
Chop the onion and mushrooms and add them to the butter.
Season with salt and pepper and cook gently.


In a separate bowl mix the flour, cheese and baking powder.
Mix the milk and egg in a separate jug.
Slowly add the milk and egg mix to the flour mix and combine.
Then add the chopped ham and the mushroom mix.
Fill muffin cases and bake for 30-35 minutes. (You should get about 12 muffins)
Leave to cool slightly in the tray and then cool completely on a wire rack.



I love to eat mine warm with a little butter on them for a luxury breakfast or snack.

(Courtesy of Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook)

Easy Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting

These are the perfect cupcakes to make at the last minute if you suddenly find out that you are about to have visitors and want something to serve with a cup of tea when they arrive.

They are a simple vanilla cupcake topped with an easy to make lemon frosting.




Ingredients

200g Softened Butter
200g Caster Sugar
4 Large Eggs
200g Self Raising Flour
A few drops of Vanilla Extract

Method

Cream the butter and sugar.
Add the eggs one at a time, adding some flour in between if the mix looks like it is about to curdle.
Add the rest of the flour and the vanilla extract.
Mix until just combined.
Put into paper cake cases in a muffin tin and bake at 180 degrees C for about 15 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Leave to cool slightly in the tin then cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting Ingredients

75g Softened Butter
550g Icing Sugar
Juice of 1 lemon (to taste)
Food Colouring (Optional)

Method

Beat the butter with half of the icing sugar (Beware of the icing sugar puffing out in a cloud of smoke)
Once combined add the rest of the icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the lemon juice to taste along with any food colouring.
Combine well.
Then put into a piping bag and pipe onto the cakes when they have completely cooled.

An easy and simple cupcake recipe that will be ready in no time ready to impress any surprise guests.